CLINTON, Miss. — Florida Southern (4-0-0, 0-0-0 SSC) defeated Mississippi Christian (1-2-1, 0-0-0 GSC) by a 2-1 on Sunday afternoon (Sep. 6).
Florida Southern opened the scoring just two minutes into the first half, with
Tim Baierlein finishing off an assist from
Darcy Moffat for a 1-0 lead.It would be the quickest goal by a Moc since Kyle Carr scored in a minute-and-fifteen seconds the last time the two squads played each other on Sep. 2nd, 2023.
Pablo Overfeld added a shot in the fifth minute, and after MCU began to push forward, the Moccasins held the lead through four shots in an eleven minute span midway through the opening period. The Choctaws tied the match in the 28th minute when Harry McLean scored off an assist from Gage Sorey. Florida Southern generated two late looks on goal, but Elliot Duffy saved shots by
Max Muth and
Tommaso Duri, sending the match to halftime tied 1-1.
Moffat put Florida Southern in front 2-1 in the 52nd minute, finishing off an assist from Oliver after the Moccasins opened the second half with two corner kicks and shots from Moffat, Baierlein and Oliver. Florida Southern earned two corner kicks at 45:52 and followed with shots from Moffat, Baierlein and Oliver before the goal, then added attempts from
Payton Rausch and Baierlein before another corner in the 59th minute.
MCU pushed back in the 66th minute with two corners and two shots, but
Ricardo Marques saved the first and the second went high. Florida Southern created another late stretch with corners in the 70th and 79th minutes and shots from Muth,
Santiago Luna and Oliver, whose 80th-minute attempt was saved by Elliot Duffy, and the Mocs finished the half without allowing another goal to close out the 2-1 win.
Moffat recorded a goal and an assist, including the game-winner, and put one of his two shots on goal. Baierlein gets his third goal of the season with his quick finish in the first. Marques played all 90 minutes in goal and finished with one save while allowing one goal.
The Mocs' 4-0 start marks the best start in eight years for the program, and also was the first time that the squad has defeated the Choctaws in their three meetings.
Up next, Florida Southern starts SSC play on the road at Saint Leo on Thursday (Sep. 10). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Saint Leo Soccer Field.
